The invention relates to photography and photographic equipment and more particularly relates to an image revising camera and method.
Casual photographers often compose scenes in a manner that is appealing to them when seen through a camera viewfinder, but is later found to be unappealing when seen in a resulting photographic print or other final image. Instruction on how to take better photographs is readily available in books, in classes, and the like; but such modes of instruction are burdensome to access during picture taking and are not much used by casual photographers. This is unfortunate, since the result is that many people repeat the same mistakes over and over, and also miss out on the fun of learning how to take better photographs.
Cameras are known that provide an indicator or lock up the shutter release when a forthcoming shot would be too dark or too close. Verifying cameras provide a verification image to users immediately after capture of a scene on photographic film or other archival media. The verification image is provided on a digital display and portrays the image captured on the archival media. This allows the user to review the verification image and decide if the shot was unsuccessful and should be repeated. Major capture failures, such as a something blocking the lens system, are readily apparent. Other characteristics of the captured image, such as composition, are also shown; but, in view of the small size of the digital display may not be immediately apparent to the user.
Japanese published patent application No. 07-319034 discloses a hybrid camera in which the photographer can change exposure settings to modify a verification image. The photographer then knows whether to repeat the shot with the changed settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,628 discloses a camera that can change metadata indicating a default number of prints, in response to a determined condition.
Hybrid cameras are known that use an electronic image capture unit having a larger angle of view than a corresponding film image capture unit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,983 discloses a camera that uses the larger area of the electronic capture unit to correct for parallax at some focusing distances. A display on the camera shows a digital image that corresponds to the angle of view of the film image capture unit.
Software is widely available that allows for the easy manipulation of digital images. Digital cameras can be used to capture images which are then modified using such software after downloading to a computer. This is a powerful approach, but lacks immediacy, since the images are not manipulated on the camera.
Digital cameras necessarily make some modifications of captured images. Some cameras also allow the user to selectively modify some images. For example, the use of digital zoom is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,234. A problem with these approaches is complexity or lack of immediacy or both. A novice is likely to be confused if he or she attempts to modify images during a picture taking session. Modifying images on a camera after a picture taking session is less confusing, but remains complex unless user choices are strictly limited.
One reason for modifying captured images is correction of mistakes by the user and improvement of photographic technique. The widely available educational materials for this purpose are of little help to a user during a picture taking session.
It would thus be desirable to provide an improved camera and method are in which the camera would provide a set of suggestions related to image content after capture of an archival image and take action on a selected suggestion. It would also be desirable to provide an improved camera and method in which a selected suggestion is applied to a captured electronic image. It would also be desirable to provide an improved camera and method in which the archival image is a latent image on film and the action taken is recording data on the film.
The invention is defined by the claims. The invention, in its broader aspects, provides a photography method and camera. In the method, a scene is captured as an original electronic image. The original electronic image is stored as an archival image in memory in the camera. A plurality of parameters of the scene are evaluated. The parameters are matched to one or more of a plurality of editorial suggestions to define a suggestion set. One or more editorial suggestion images are generated. Each editorial suggestion image is a copy of the original electronic image modified in accordance with a respective editorial suggestion. The editorial suggestion images are displayed. User input is accepted designating one depictions as a user selection. The user input is recorded for later use in preparation of a final image or the stored archival image is edited in accordance with the selected suggestion.
It is an advantageous effect of the invention that an improved camera and method are provided in which a set of revision suggestions based upon image content is available immediately after capture of an archival image and in which an indication of a selected one of the revision suggestions is recorded. It is another advantageous effect that an improved camera and method are provided in which the selected one of the revision suggestions is immediately applied to a captured electronic image to produce an edited image that is then saved in memory. It is another advantage that an improved camera and method are provided in which the archival image is a latent image on film and the indication of the selected one of the revision suggestions is data recorded on the film.